momma aimee Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I am trying to decide what to do with Science. First grade, for the fall my kids will, i strongly think, go to public school after 4th (long thing, dh) I can't decide; animals and classifications, earth science, physics and laws of matter and simple machines............ i don't know -- i worry about choosing wrong and them missing something -- upon 4th or 5th -- that their class peers have had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 We are loving NOEO Biology 1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 In my experience as a student/teacher of/parent of PSed kids, I've found that there are pretty much zero expectations at public elementary school for history and science content areas. There is little consistency between teachers, let alone schools, districts and states. I know when we were kids, we assumed there was some reason or method behind decisions about what we were taught... and looking at the state standards makes us think these standards might actually be seriously taught, but in my experience, science and social studies are more haphazardly taught based on the teacher's expertise and/or whims than on a consistent canon of information that kids should know. In other words, I wouldn't worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace'smom Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 You could get a Harcourt or Scott Foresman textbook off ebay or amazon for the grade level you are interested and make sure you cover the same topics. Those are often used in the public schools. Also, you could use the ITBS test prep booklets to give you an overview... However, I agree with the previous poster- it's probably hit or miss until middle school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 If you are worried, look up the scope and sequence for your state. In California, 1st grade covers physical, life and earth science and "investigation" (basic recording of observations), but all on a very very surface level. You could probably cover the whole set in a month or less. If anything, looking up your state's requirements will probably make you feel very good that no matter what you choose, you will have it covered. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Completely agree with momling. My son learned the water cycle in first grade at school. That was about it. Your kids probably already know more than what is typically taught in grades 1-3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I would do a mixture of developmentally appropriate science explorations. There are certain topics from each of the sciences that are accessible to young children and I would use a program that understands this. K12 science is an example of such a program, but there are many others out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 i don't know -- i worry about choosing wrong and them missing something -- upon 4th or 5th -- that their class peers have had. I know people worry about this sort of thing, but I always think it's a very poor basis for decision making about subject matter teaching. You will miss something. But so will the kids in Miss So-and-so's class who didn't get the same lessons in Mr. So-and-so's class. And so will little Johnny who moved from Next Door State which has a totally different sequence. If you think the sequence that the state gives and the standards they present is the best one or the most important one to follow, then follow that, but let you be the decision maker. You're in charge and you get to pick. If you think the sequence in the WTM or some other curricula is the best, then follow that. If you think it's more important for science to be interest-led or to emphasize thinking and analytic skills with science, then do that. But, again, you're the one making the decision. Also, while I think science is important and would never say skip it or don't worry about it... It's mostly content, not skills. Skills are essential. Content is essential for context and makes the application of skills easier, but if your child misses bits of content, that's just not the big deal that missing a skill like writing a sentence, doing long division, or summarizing a book is. Content holes can be plugged with ease for any child who is strong in skills. Not so with skills holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramlingk Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 We read a lot of Magic School Bus and did related experiments at that age. We are also loving a computer based program called Exploration Education which is physical science. It comes with your experiment kit with projects for each unit that are fairly simple to do and there is basically no prep. We find it to be a solid program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekfk Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 You could use the Evan Moor science books and any age appropriate general science encyclopedia and be just fine. Momling is completely right. Public elementary kids generally don't learn a lot of science whether there are standards or not. As long as you are doing some science regularly they should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloggermom Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I personally do not do formal science until middle school. That being said, if you are looking for something truly "grammar-level" you should consider Lyrical Life Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 We were using a Harcourt first grade textbook (the Arctic Fox edition) as our spine. We made it about half way through before chucking it. We got to a couple of units/chapters where I was having a hard time putting together more in-depth lessons. Originally, I thought following such a text would be good...that I wouldn't miss anything and that I could use the textbook text when I couldn't find a Let's-Read-and-the-Out Science or other reader to fit the topic. I thought the simple text would be good, but it turns out that it's so simplistic that DD has a harder time retaining it. There's just not enough information and context. Then, there was the issue of, well, what do we do in three or four months when we were set to finish it...the second grade text starts all over again. :tongue_smilie: Not sure where I'm going with this other than I would just maybe follow the Well-Trained Mind's suggestions of unit studies. If/When you put your DC in public school, they will learn anything else with the next grade's textbook and then the one after that... You could get a Harcourt or Scott Foresman textbook off ebay or amazon for the grade level you are interested and make sure you cover the same topics. Those are often used in the public schools. Also' date=' you could use the ITBS test prep booklets to give you an overview... However, I agree with the previous poster- it's probably hit or miss until middle school.[/quote'] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 As a parent whose children went to ps in the early grades, I want to agree with those who said don't worry about it. Science in lower elementary is strictly about exposure. If your kids have read or watched science videos and have learned to explore and question their world, they will be ahead of most of their peers. Some kids will have learned things they haven't and they will have learned things the others haven't, but no science knowledge is assumed or is prerequisite to fourth grade science. Relax and make science fun. You will have done them a tremendous service! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Scientist Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 To give your dc a real advantage in science, teach them are critical thinking and how to find information. Make a point of teaching your dc how to find information through a variety of sources (Google, library, periodical guide, etc.) Give them regular challenges to research, such as: Which weighs more, humid air or dry air? Why do zebras have stripes? What is the fastest bird? Why don't pine trees lose their leaves in the winter? Why do oak trees lose their leaves in the winter? The next step is to help them learn to evaluate the answers. Never stop with the first answer. Check at least 5 different sources, and compare them. Have them think about why the answers are different. Does the answer have something to do with what the site is selling? Do you think that might influence their answer? Is it an educational website, such as a university, NASA, or NOAA? Would they be more likely to have accurate answers? Are news sites good sources for science facts? Do you think the reporters that write the articles are scientists? How current is the information? At the library, compare recent books on the solar system with books that were written in the past. What has changed? If you can teach your dc how to find and evaluate accurate, scientific information, filtering out the misconceptions, media hype, and political spin, your dc will have what they need to excel, whether in homeschool or public school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I wouldn't worry. Do whatever you enjoy :) Not only is hardly any science taught before 6th, it is wildly different from one state to another. Evan Moor books are a lot of fun, as are the Science in a Nutshell kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) I would focus on the science SKILLS that your state expects and not worry as much about the CONTENT. The CONTENT can be covered by just watching Magic School bus and Bill Nye. You might like Science Matters. It's a very easy read about the topic of scientific literacy. I tried using the book as a spine, but found that I did not agree with the author's list of topics needing to be covered for content and why, but this book was a fundamental influence on my current opinions on teaching science. He includes a focus on being able to understand the newspaper and being able to influence lawmakers, at the expense of a wider understanding of the science we interact with on a daily basis. Edited January 21, 2012 by Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 To give your dc a real advantage in science, teach them are critical thinking and how to find information. Make a point of teaching your dc how to find information through a variety of sources (Google, library, periodical guide, etc.) Give them regular challenges to research, such as: Which weighs more, humid air or dry air? Why do zebras have stripes? What is the fastest bird? Why don't pine trees lose their leaves in the winter? Why do oak trees lose their leaves in the winter? The next step is to help them learn to evaluate the answers. Never stop with the first answer. Check at least 5 different sources, and compare them. Have them think about why the answers are different. Does the answer have something to do with what the site is selling? Do you think that might influence their answer? Is it an educational website, such as a university, NASA, or NOAA? Would they be more likely to have accurate answers? Are news sites good sources for science facts? Do you think the reporters that write the articles are scientists? How current is the information? At the library, compare recent books on the solar system with books that were written in the past. What has changed? If you can teach your dc how to find and evaluate accurate, scientific information, filtering out the misconceptions, media hype, and political spin, your dc will have what they need to excel, whether in homeschool or public school. Rob--this is wonderful. So helpful. I am so glad you're around on this board to jump in with these ideas. The bolded part would be great to add on to the science program ideas--a section with questions to be researched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Scientist Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Rob--this is wonderful. So helpful. I am so glad you're around on this board to jump in with these ideas. The bolded part would be great to add on to the science program ideas--a section with questions to be researched. I am working on that right now, trying to find the right format to let me fit the past Science Photo of the Day questions into each unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I am working on that right now, trying to find the right format to let me fit the past Science Photo of the Day questions into each unit. Nice. :) I think many of us are appreciating your contributions here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Scientist Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Nice. :) I think many of us are appreciating your contributions here. I know that I am appreciating all of the wonderful input from everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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